Communication

At the University of West Florida, Communication is more than a degree—it’s a launchpad for creativity, collaboration, and career success. Our curriculum reflects the integrated nature of the modern communication workplace, blending academic theory with professional practice through immersive learning environments.

Students gain real-world experience in our production and podcast studios, video editing bays, and social media lab. Through class projects, internships, and community partnerships, they apply their skills to authentic challenges that build confidence and career-ready portfolios.

Our faculty are active scholars and professionals who mentor students in critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and compelling storytelling. From crafting persuasive campaigns to analyzing media trends, our graduates enter the workforce ready to adapt, lead, and make an impact.

Programs

The Department of Communication offers degree programs designed to meet the needs of today’s media-driven world.

Undergraduate Programs

The Jerry Louis Maygarden Undergraduate Communication Program offers a blend of academic theory, project-oriented classroom assignments, and hands-on experience to help you become a skilled professional. You will develop communication skills with personable instructors who foster a supportive climate while emphasizing quality work and high standards.

You will choose a curriculum that best suits your interests and career goals by mixing and matching courses from three concentrations of study: Advertising, Public Relations, and Social Media; Communication; and Digital Storytelling and Journalism.

Students can also gain a Communication minor in Leadership Communication or Strategic Communication for the Sciences.

Undergraduate Students can enhance their studies with an undergraduate certificate in Social Media Communication and elective courses that align with individual interests and professional goals.

Graduate Programs

For Graduate Students, our Strategic Communication & Leadership, M.A. develops advanced communication and leadership skills for professionals across industries. Graduate students explore topics such as collaborative leadership, effective listening, ethical practice, data-driven strategy, and innovative message design.

We also offer Graduate Certificates in Health Leadership Communication, Executive Communication, and Social Media for Public Relations and Advertising, providing focused expertise in key industry areas.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of UWF’s Department of Communication pursue diverse and rewarding careers in fields such as:

• Public relations and strategic communication
• Advertising and brand management
• Journalism and multimedia storytelling
• Social media management and digital marketing
• Film, television and podcast production
• Corporate and nonprofit communication
• Event planning and community relations
• Crisis communication and public affairs

Whether you aspire to work behind the camera, in front of the microphone or in the boardroom, UWF’s Department of Communication equips you with the skills and experience to make your mark in an ever-evolving media landscape.

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Will Condon, UWF Alumnus ’10 & ’16

Will Condon, President of the Studer Family Children's Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart 

From Will’s perspective, his rapid climb up the corporate ladder to the corner office was less about what he envisioned. It’s a story about all the people who saw something bigger in him—that in all humility and honesty—he simply did not see.

Not a big surprise to a significant number of people who know him, Will is in a new role. He has taken on a new challenge. You see, Will’s career has been on a steep trajectory. In ten short years, he went from the Marketing Communications Department at Ascension Sacred Heart to President of the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart. But he didn’t do it alone. He is the first to acknowledge that his journey is rich with people who saw something in him, something he didn’t recognize. From family members and colleagues to classmates and professors at UWF, these folks helped to steer him in the right direction and to greater places for him and his family.

Condon's Full Impact Story

Department Highlights

The Department of Communication offers degree programs designed to meet the needs of today’s media-driven world and real-world experience in our production and podcast studios, video editing bays, and social media lab. Through class projects, internships, and community partnerships, students apply their skills to authentic challenges that build confidence and career-ready portfolios.